Foam remover



Sept. 5, 1939. E. J. KuRTzBElN 2,171,853

FOAM REMovER Filed Oct. 14, 1938 1 JJVVEWTwi:

Acn

Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to foam removing devices useful particularly where beverages are sold for immediate consumption. It lis well known that various ales or beverages when tapped, as into a glass, produce quantities of foam at the top and besides causing-a slow filling of a glass necessary certain Ydevices for removing the foam, such means hitherto used producing undesirable conditions such as foam on the bar and drain-board and on the exterior of the container used.

My device is designed particularly for the purpose of eliminating the objectionable conditions stated and the main object is to provide a simple highly efficient and inexpensive foam remover as hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. i is a vertical sectional elevation of my irnroved oa-m removing device showing a preferred construction. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, a side and a front elevation of a modied form of the foam remover without a motor. Figs. 5 and 6 are modifications of Fig. l, in reduced scale, omitting the base parts, but showing the motor and its fan in modiied mounting, horizontally, and in vertical positions respectively.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, like characters designating corresponding parts in the various views, 5 designates a bar such as used in beverage and ale disp-ensing places, part of said bar comprising a grate 5A (Fig. l) for drainage and located under any type of tap used for filling various types of containers such as a glass 6.

My device comprises an upright, inverted L- shaped standard of which I is the vertical part with a flat or flanged b-ase 'IF and adapted to be fixed rigidly as with screws 8 to the top of a bar 5. The horizontal arm 'IA of the standard projects toward the back of the bar and is a rigid arm extending in spaced relation over the bar a predetermined distance, usually about eight inches.

In the electrically operated form of my device, at the convergence of the vertical and horizontal arms of the standard it is formed with a preferably cylindrical frame 9 open rearwardly and in which may be fixed an electric motor Il] having any suitable type of electric control, as the circuit II with switch I2.

The forwardly directed or projecting motor shaft IDS carries a multiblade fan II rotatable within a housing 'II-I comprising an integral part of the standard, said housing below the fan comprising a downwardly directed duct IH opening downwardly at 2| just over the drainboard 5A of the bar.

In Figs. 1 and 2, arm 'IA comprises aforwardly and downwardly tapering member the outer part 5 of which comprises a downwardly open elongated nozzle I3 with a horizontallower face I4. Or said nozzle may be designated as anelongated downwardly open duct (in horizontal place) said duct upwardly and inwardly of the face I4 com- 10 prising a rearwardly iiared duct I5 .communicating directly with the housing 'IH and concentrically of the fan II.

In the non-electric form of my device (Figs. 3 and 4) the horizontal arm 'IA comprises in part a vertically fixed blade I3B with a horizontal lower edge I4 corresponding vto lower edge I4 of member I3 in Fig. l.

This Ydevice is mounted in proximity to any b-eer tap or the like,fand when a quantity of foam ac-cumul-atesin a glass the latter is merely held, by attendant, in the position shown in Fig. l directly under the nozzle I3 and passes the glass by the nozzle in horizontal direction. 'Assuming that the electric fan or propeller II is rotating, the foam will be quickly and efficiently drawn off from the glass through duct I5 to housing 'IH without disturbing the heavier liquid contents of the glass 6.

It will of course be readily understood that the rotary :action of fan II generates suction in the duct I5 and which will carry the foam quickly into the housing IH and within said housing the fan will disintegrate the foam by its centrifugal action which will cause the foam to be reduced to liquid particles which subsequently will gravitate in the tube 'IH' and discharge at 2|.

23 is a ne mesh screen mounted within the housing lH at the inner end of duct I5 and so positioned in the path of suction that the foam 40 will be broken up before reaching the fan and any liquid particles on said screen may drip directly into the duct 'IH'.

In the purely mechanical form of my device illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the beverage glass is 45 contacted with and passed under the blade edge I4, which action scrapes off all protruding foam. Any foam adhering to the blade is removed by a pair of pivotally mounted sponge-rubber pads I6 one at each side of the blade ISB.

Both pads I6 are held normally spaced from the blade, each by a pair of arms I'I xed at their upper extremities each pair on a rotatable shaft Iii mounted parallel to and adjacent the side of the blade arm 1A. Exteriorly of the free 55 end of arm 1A, said shafts are provided with a pair of meshing gears I9 (one xed on each shaft) and one of said shafts further provided with a turning key 2U. By manipulating this key both shafts may be oscillated simultaneously to swing the pads downwardly into contact with the sides of the wiper blade, as to position shown in full lines in Fig. 4. The pads are normally and yieldably impelled outwardly from the blade (as dotted line positions shown in Fig. 4) by means of a coil spring 22 on either or both of the shafts I8.

Obviously the absorbent pads are manipulated against the sides of the blade against the spring action, such contact of the blade surface being to remove the foam from the sides of the blade by pressure against the sides thereof. squeezing action against the blade will liquefy some of the foam and which will drip off and some of the foam will adhere to the pads when they are retracted to their outer positions in which they may continue to drip or the pads may be removed at intervals for cleaning.

Modifications may be made as in Figs. 5 and 6, in the upper portion (as in Fig. 5) the stand being shown with a semi-hollow motor retaining head part to hold the motor in horizontal plane, nozzle I3 being flared upwardly and leading into a circular chamber 'IC around the fan and forward part of the motor, the duct 'IH' extending down directly under the motor. In Fig. 6 the motor and its shaft are vertically disposed, the upper part of the pedestal or stand having a seat 'IS for the motor, and instead of a tapered nozzle a horizontal housing 25 integralv of the head incloses the fan I I which is positioned directly over an aperture in said housing and having a screen 26. The interior of housing 25 communicates directly with the outlet or drain duct 'IH'.

Other modications of construction may be embodied, within the scope of the above description and the following claims, without departing from the scope and spirit of my invention.

I claim:

l. A foam removing device: comprising an inverted L-shaped standard and the horizontal arm thereof in xed vertical relation over the base, said arm comprising in part a fixed blade with a horizontal lower edge and means adjacent said edge for catching and removing foam from the upper and open part of a container passed horizontally under said edge of the blade.

2. The structure specied in claim 1, and a rotary motor mounted in said standard, a fan on the shaft of said motor, a part of said standard comprising a housing about said fan and an outlet of said housing extending integrally thereof below said fan, the horizontal arm of said standard extending outwardly from the fan housing and formed with a duct communicating with said fan housing at one end and its other end comprising an elongated slotted opening directed downwardly at said lower edge of the blade, said fan arranged to generate suction through said duct, as shown and described.

3. The structure specified in claim 1, and a rotary motor mounted in said standard, a fan on the motor shaft, a part of said standard comprising a housing about said fan and a downward extension of said housing comprising an outlet duct, the horizontal arm of said standard extending outwardly from the fan housing and formed with a duct communicating with said fan housing at one end and its other end comprising an elongated slotted opening directed downwardly at said lower edge of the blade, said fan arranged to generate suction through said duct, and a screen fixed in said fan housing intermediate said fan and the adjacent inner terminus of said duct.

4. A foam removing device for beverage containers, said device comprising an inverted L- shaped standard adapted to be fixed on a fiat surface, a fixed wiper blade in vertical plane and extending downwardly from the horizontal arm of the standard, the lower edge of said blade in horizontal plane, foam engaging and removing means comprising an elongated pad of porous material and pivoally mounted one at each side of the said blade, and spring actuated means holding the said pads normally away from the blade and means for actuating said pads to move simultaneously into contacting positions with the blade, substantially as shown and described.

EHRHART J. KURTZBEIN. 

